Lotfi Raissi is a British resident of Algerian origin who was arrested by British authorities in 2001 and held without charge after an American request for extradition. The British courts subsequently found that there was "no evidence at all" of involvement in terrorism and released Mr. Raissi in early 2002 after he had spent five months in Belmarsh prison*. Since his release he has been seeking compensation and an apology.
Yesterday his compensation claim was rejected by the High Court on the grounds that he had been held based on a request for extradition to the US and that he was not wronged "in the domestic criminal process". Essentially they have told him to go see the Yanks about the money. I assume that this will not prove to be fruitful.
I don't believe that he has had as much as a whisper of apology either.
*Note: Mr. Raissi in that the request for extradition was handled under the old agreement with the United States which required the Americans to present a prima facie case. Under the new and controversial agreement such evidence is no longer required for extraditions from the UK to the US but is still required for extraditions in the opposite direction.
Yesterday his compensation claim was rejected by the High Court on the grounds that he had been held based on a request for extradition to the US and that he was not wronged "in the domestic criminal process". Essentially they have told him to go see the Yanks about the money. I assume that this will not prove to be fruitful.
I don't believe that he has had as much as a whisper of apology either.
*Note: Mr. Raissi in that the request for extradition was handled under the old agreement with the United States which required the Americans to present a prima facie case. Under the new and controversial agreement such evidence is no longer required for extraditions from the UK to the US but is still required for extraditions in the opposite direction.
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